by Taye Babaleye, Nigeria, January 1998
THEME = VIOLENCE
The menace of secret cults in Nigerian
institutions of higher education,
has grown to unprecedented levels in the past few years
University authorities as well as the Nigerian government, fear for the safety of students, and parents and guardians prefer to sent their children and wards to educational institutions near to their homes, where they can keep an eye on them. There are reports of students being attacked and even killed by cult members.
Cult violence - At the University of Jos in Plateau State, some cult members set the Zoology Department on fire, as a protest against the university authority's attempts to check their activities. Recently, some cult members set the office of the Vice- Chancellor of the University of Calabar, south eastern Nigeria on fire. The reason? The Vice-Chancellor had dared to invite the police onto campus, to beef-up the security arrangements, following the shooting and killing of two students in the examination hall during the day. The victims were shot in the head by masked gunmen suspected of being cult members, and died on their way to the hospital. Other students and their invigilators escaped through available exits including windows.
Here are the names of some of the secret cults in Nigerian universities and polytechnics: The Sea Dogs Confraternity, The Pirates, Buccaneers, The Black Axe, The Vikings. More disturbingly, a few female cults have recently come into existence, Jezebel Daughters and The Mermaids.
Who is to blame? - The Media has published many stories concerning the rise of secret cults in the universities. The government and the teaching staff are at loggerheads as to the origin of the cults. Many people lay the blame on Nigeria's Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soynika, who is his undergraduate days at the University of Ibadan introduced The Pirate Confraternity. His supporters accept that he started the movement, but they insist that The Pirate Confraternity never engaged in acts of violence. It was a social club aimed at protecting the interest of students coming from poor backgrounds. Its membership was well-known and included highly respected students who observed the norms of the society and gave due honour and respect to the university authorities.
Some people blame the current wave of cult violence in Nigeria's universities, on the government's alleged use of such clandestine groups, to suppress and counter the radical stand taken by legitimate students' associations, such as the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), against the unending military regimes in Nigeria.
The immediate past and present military regimes, have officially announced the banning of student-bodies known to be opposed to: the continued military rule in Nigeria; the promulgation of unpopular decrees and policies, leading to a reckless abuse of human rights and the repression of all opposition.
Secret cults are known to exist elsewhere in Nigeria, and it has been suggested these have now spread into the university milieu. Also, it is well-known that some cult members who have been arrested on campus, are children of those in authority. They are then frequently secretly released by the police. Other fact worth mentioning: a number of lecturers deemed to be "radicals" have been attacked by cult members. It is thought these cult members are agents of the powers-that-be. However, this is difficult to prove since rival cult members are known to clash over non-ideological issues such as supremacy of weaponry and tactics, or even over "affairs of the heart."
Questions needing answers - The public are now asking many questions about the on-going violence in our universities: How can these acts of terrorism be eradicated from our university campuses? How can the government guarantee the safety of life and property on the campuses? What is the future of the next generation of graduates trained under the fear of today's terrorists? If the situation deteriorates and even spreads to our High Schools, will it ever be stoppable?
All these questions need answering.
END
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement